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Small and
Strong:
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It has a stable or growing membership. Sharp declines in membership generally represent a problem unless there has been a significant shift in the population in the ministry area. |
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Most healthy small churches have a fairly stable membership; some are growing. |
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It is able to direct 20% or more of its budget to outreach through support of missions and ministries that serve the needs of people in the community and in the broader world. Small churches which are so burdened with the costs of institutional maintenance that they cannot give generously to needs outside their walls are not healthy. While most small churches will inevitably have a larger portion of their resources going to institutional maintenance than will large churches, that is not always the case. Some small churches, in fact, give 30% to 50% of their resources to missions. |
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It has a welcoming spirit, with a very high percentage of the membership willing to take the initiative in reaching out to visitors and with a very low percentage of the membership feeling that there are cliques or exclusive groups. |
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It has high congregational morale, with a very high percentage of the membership feeling positive about the future of the church and feeling that their own needs are well met by the church’s programs. |
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It is able to make decisions in a way that feels comfortable to most of the membership of the church. That doesn’t mean that every member has to be a part of every decision! It does mean that there is a high level of trust in church leadership. |
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It is striving to improve its ministry to its members and its outreach. A healthy congregation is willing to make changes and wants to do so for the sake of a more effective ministry in the name of Christ. |
New Life Ministries and Christian Community have worked on the development of congregational profiles and strategies for change with a large number of congregations. In doing so, we’ve often asked church leaders to identify the reasons for which people have joined their congregations in recent years and to share some of the background of those people. Based on that, here are some observations about persons who are especially likely to find close connection in a small church:
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People who join small congregations are very likely to have been raised themselves in a small congregation, often located in a small community. |
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People who join small congregations are very likely to place great value on the quality of relationships with other people. Relationships are primary in the small church, and the persons who seek such a community of faith do so in large part because they want to share in those relationships. While hospitality is important in a church of any size, it is absolutely critical in a small congregation. |
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People who join small congregations are very likely to enjoy friendships and relationships with people across a wide range of ages. People who are very concerned about building friendships with people of their own age and similar life situations are more likely to seek out a larger congregation. But there are many people who greatly value intergenerational friendships and who are attracted to the presence of close relationships with people of differing ages that can often be found in a small church. |
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People who join small congregations sometimes come from ethnic backgrounds, which are strongly represented within the congregation. Some small churches have members who are of a predominant ethnic background. That may be German or Swiss or Irish or Hispanic or Korean or African American or yet another background. People of that same ethnic identity are understandably the most likely to want to join those congregations. When a congregation is of one predominant ethnic background, it takes special effort to reach out effectively to people who do not share that identity. |
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People who join small congregations are more likely to be older than younger! The average age of persons joining small churches across North America tends to be somewhat higher than the average age of those joining large congregations. Many small churches are especially concerned about reaching more young adults, and there is nothing wrong with that goal. It is important, however, for some small churches to remember that those most interested in membership may in fact be older persons who are new to the community or who do not have a church home. |
The research done by Christian Community and by New Life Ministries shows that there are two categories of small congregations in terms of hospitality.
Churches in Category A have a social structure, which is very open to new people. Members of the church are quick to take the initiative in reaching out to visitors and to persons in the community who are potential visitors. They are careful to include others in social activities and avoid the formation of cliques that exclude people. People in these churches, whether long-time or new members, feel that the church shows a level of care and compassion which is much greater than they have experienced in other organizations. Churches in Category A are very quick to utilize the spiritual gifts and the talents of new people.
Churches in Category B may display initial warmth to visitors and generally have members who think that they are a friendly congregation. Those members, however, are not as likely to take the initiative in reaching out to new people. The social structure is more closed. Strong friendships and family connections result in the presence of social groups that appear like cliques to those on the outside. While some in these churches feel that they receive a high level of care and compassion from the congregation, many others do not share that opinion. They are also very hesitant about giving leadership opportunities to those who are new members.
Churches in Category A are obviously far more likely to successfully reach and integrate new people into congregational life. Churches in Category B have far more difficulty in this area and often find that those who do join the church quickly become inactive. The chart below shows the average level of agreement with statements related to hospitality and care of members from churches in four different categories:
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Category A churches. |
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Category B churches. |
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The responses from over 250,000 people in over 1,400 North American congregations. |
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The responses from those congregations which are growing in membership and worship attendance. |
These are the full statements with which people were expressing agreement:
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In our congregation, people go out of their way to be friendly to strangers and newcomers. (#40) |
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At church, I take the initiative to talk to those I do not know well. (#47) |
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In our congregation, there are cliques or exclusive groups, which make one feel unwelcome. (#44) |
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In our congregation, people care for one another in a way that is more compassionate than what I have experienced in other groups. (#43) |
What would the responses be in your congregation? Your church can complete the New Life Ministries Congregational Survey and see how your members respond to a wide range of questions that help measure congregational strength. Professional analysis of the survey is available, which includes recommendations for change. Contact New Life Ministries for details.
The New Vitality for the Small Church Kit by Jim Kinsey is a New Life Ministries resource designed to help small churches in a major revitalization process. Jim Kinsey helps small churches build on their strengths and identify creative strategies for the future. The kit includes a manual plus three books. The recommended process takes several months to fully implement and involves the entire congregation.
New Life Ministries offers several resources to help your congregation in the area of hospitality. Widening the Welcome of Your Church by Fred Bernhard and Steve Clapp includes a study guide and gives practical strategies for improved hospitality. Hospitality: Life without Fear, also by Steve and Fred, examines the spiritual dimensions of hospitality and relates them to congregational life. The First Thirty Seconds by S. Joan Hershey applies hospitality to the work of greeters and ushers. The theme of hospitality is covered with considerable care in the Sharing Our Faith module which is available from New Life Ministries.
Preaching, Planning, and Plumbing by Steve Clapp, Ron Finney, and Angela Zimmerman offers a spiritual gifts program and a fresh look at the meaning of ministry.
To purchase any of these produces, go to our online order form or call us toll-free at 1-800-774-3360.
Also visit the Smaller Churches Network web site. And see our other online resources for the smaller church.
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This report is published by New Life Ministries, a nonprofit corporation, and is mailed without charge to clients and friends Our partner organization, Christian Community, provides much of the content for this publication. Persons receiving this publication may reproduce the contents in local church and regional judicatory bulletins and newsletters. Please request permission for other reproduction from:
New Life Ministries, 6404 S Calhoun St,
Fort Wayne, IN 46807
Phone: 1-800-774-3360 • E-mail:
NLMServiceCenter@aol.com
Internet: www.NewLifeMinistries-NLM.org
Other New Life Ministries Reports • Other Online Resources
Small and Strong: What Makes a Healthy Small Congregation? • New Life Ministries Report
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Ministries (www.NewLifeMinistries-NLM.org).
All Rights Reserved.
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